True, Kawhi may still not have signed, but we would still have had 2 of arguably the top 10-15 players in the league. The point I was trying to make is that there was an opportunity to get some top end talent and Masai didn't pull the trigger. I wonder what the offer was on both sides.

I don't believe for a second that the Raptors ever had a real offer from OKC that they turned down, or didn't pull the trigger on. Most likely it was preliminary discussions, framework ideas, and OKC moved on to LAC when it was clear that even the Raptors' best possible offer (which would never have been offered) wouldn't compare to the haul LAC could offer - a haul which probably required OKC to be able to tell LAC that they were at least talking to the Raps.

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Well we had Bosh (who was locked in long term at the time) and cap space. We ended up with Hedo like you said.. so the situation did happen before.. we just never landed the "star". I'm not saying it won't happen, but the situation you just described did and it didn't pan out. I believe in Masai.. and I believe in this city. Just hope the rest of the NBA does as well

We got Hedo with the cap space we had ($9M) - we did not have enough cap space for a max player ($17.5M). Bosh was not locked in long term, he was in his final year before UFA, when he left to go to the Heat.

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I don't believe for a second that the Raptors ever had a real offer from OKC that they turned down, or didn't pull the trigger on. Most likely it was preliminary discussions, framework ideas, and OKC moved on to LAC when it was clear that even the Raptors' best possible offer (which would never have been offered) wouldn't compare to the haul LAC could offer - a haul which probably required OKC to be able to tell LAC that they were at least talking to the Raps.

I agree. OKC probably saw an opportunity to pit two teams fighting for the same free agent against each other, to increase their return for George. Well done on their part.

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Funny thing is, if Westbrook was a free agent we may actually have had a really good chance to acquire him. In his mind he's as good as Kawhi and probably see's the Raptors as a team he could join to be instant contenders after we won it all last year.

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It is gross, but there would be a couple years of contention prior to that. If you want your team to be synonymous with winning championships then money isn't something you think twice about. I don't think he is going to decline for at least 2-3 more years so if you can get another chip within that time it is well worth it. We have a ways to go to catch up to the Lakers

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I wonder what was really on the table between OKC and Toronto. The more I think about it the more I have a hard time believing Masai turned down an offer to add both Westbrook and George. It's so difficult acquiring one star much less two. Love Siakam, but that move would have kept Kawhi in Toronto and Raptors would be looking at multiple championships.

Listening to the Fan590 on the drive home and doug smith was hinting that there may have been some interesting asks made by kawhis camp as the negotiations heated up.

He went on to say that they weren't basketball related and that it might have been to help some of the folks in Kawhis camp.

Smith also shared that his read of Masai after it was all done was that Masai felt he was being played and backed away from the request to trade the franchise for a player without knowing how long the deal was going to be for on Thursday.....

He finished up by saying that the Clippers might have been played.

Dietch chimes in that this is common practice in the AAU circuit .. that you have to take care of the guys who have the ear of the guy.

Something.. nothing.. .sour grapes... but it was an interesting speil from the guy who is closest to the teams fronto office.

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If the heat end up getting him, that’s going to be one very intense team.

It will indeed.. but the Heat are hard capped... They have to move out 40M$ of actual player salaries off the roster.
Presti has more draft picks than he can use right now. He also has lost Harden and Durant and now George (but did he get a haul for PG.) and now he needs to get some players for his team... I think he asks for both of Winslow and Bam Bam or whatever his name is and he will have to take an expiring Dragic to make the money work....

The Heat .. well they will be intense... but with no supporting cast .. I can't see them much higher than 6.